Council of Europe and ECHR:UK Contribution to Budget

Lord Bowness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	For each of the financial years from 1980–81 to 2003–04, what was:
	(a) the total amount of the United Kingdom's contributions to the budget of the Council of Europe;
	(b) the percentage of this contribution which is attributable to the budget of the European Court of Human Rights; and
	(c) the amount of the United Kingdom's contribution to the budget of the Court.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The total amount of the United Kingdom's contributions to the budget of the Council of Europe from 1999 and the percentage and amount of this contribution which is attributable to the budget of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Total amount of UK contributions to budget of the Council of Europe Percentage of this contribution attributable to the ECtHR Total UK contribution to the budget of the ECtHR 
			 1999 Euros 23,110,012.00 = £15,389,233.53 13.87% Euros 3,206,360.00 = £2,135,153.49 
			 2000 Euros 24,281,623.77 = £14,535,542.51 13.33% Euros 3,236,980.00 = £1,937,731.22 
			 2001 Euros 24,668,115.43 = £15,348,503.87 13.34% Euros 3,290,980.00 = £2,047,648.08 
			 2002 Euros 26,094,258.29 = £16,026,445.33 13.37% Euros 3,488,130.00 = £2,142,322.81 
			 2003 Euros 27,228,627.05 = £18,783,545.15 13.18% Euros 3,589,920.00 = £2,476,490.07 
			 2004 Euros 28,495,592.29 = £19,239,478.96 12.86% Euros 3,664,330.00 = £2,474,059.82 
		
	
	The total amount of the United Kingdom's contributions to the budget of the Council of Europe from 1980 to 1998 are as follows:
	
		
			 Year Total amount of UK contributions to budget of the Council of Europe (in French Francs with sterling equivalent) 
			 1980 FF 38,560,783.74 = £4,102,909.40 
			 1981 FF 43,438,054.23 = £3,822,561.00 
			 1982 FF 47,506,373.40 = £4,285,567.54 
			 1983 FF 52,170,433.20 = £4,979,710.32 
			 1984 FF 55,996,226.02 = £4,727,215.06 
			 1985 FF 61,213,499.63 = £5,515,375.64 
			 1986 FF 65,101,643.27 = £6,379,324.38 
			 1987 FF 70,883,798.73 = £7,486,749.83 
			 1988 FF 74,850,706.59 = £7,333,128.24 
			 1989 FF 77,625,530.06 = £7,080,231.13 
			 1990 FF 83,284,027.07 = £8,765,724.71 
			 1991 FF 98,816,451.00 = £9,955,815.92 
			 1992 FF 115,686,363.00 = £11,852,139.47 
			 1993 FF 134,778,676.00 = £16,685,691.86 
			 1994 FF 140,397,846.20 = £16,181,018.84 
			 1995 FF 148,426,576.70 = £18,302,576.78 
			 1996 FF 151,259,537.80 = £18,970,995.05 
			 1997 FF 148,781,520.30 = £16,236,674.59 
			 1998 FF 149,945,515.21 = £15,372,562.84 
		
	
	Prior to 1999 the European Court of Human Rights did not exist in its present form, being only a part-time court. Figures are not available showing the United Kingdom's contributions to that part-time court.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: Philippines Ratification

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Philippines has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; and, if so, whether it is up-to-date with the reports required by the convention.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Philippines ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on 21 August 1990. The convention requires states parties to submit an initial report two years after their ratification comes into force and then every five years thereafter. The Philippines submitted the initial report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which monitors implementation of the CRC, in 1993 but have not submitted the reports due in 1997 and 2002.
	We will continue to encourage the Philippine Government to comply with their reporting requirements under the convention.

Libya

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether on his visit to Libya the Prime Minister will request Colonel Gaddafi to release all political prisoners, abolish the People's Court and the Special Revolutionary Courts, and introduce freedom of the media.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister's discussions with Colonel Qadhafi focused on international and regional security issues. The issues of political prisoners, the judiciary and the media in Libya were not raised. But as my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary made clear during his meeting with the Libyan Foreign Minister, Abdul Rahman Shalgam, during his visit to the United Kingdom on 9 to 10 February, we are concerned about Libya's human rights record in a number of areas and will be addressing these with its government. To this end a delegation from the Qadhafi Foundation Human Rights Association visited the United Kingdom at our request from 1 to 5 March.

Somaliland

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will offer technical assistance to the authorities of Somaliland in countering terrorism.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We already provide humanitarian and development assistance to Somaliland and we are considering an exploratory visit over the coming months to examine other options for assistance.

Bridges: Reconstruction

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which body is funding the following bridge reconstruction works: (a) Skew Bridge, Salisbury; (b) Broken Cross Bridge, on the A338 near Ford; and (c) two bridges over railway and over waterway, on the A40 west of Oxford.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The answer to this is as follows:
	(a) Skew Bridge is being funded by the Highways Agency (Area 2)
	(b) Broken Cross Bridge is not on a trunk road so is being funded by Wiltshire County Council, the local highway authority
	(c) The A40 Woolvercote and Cassington underbridges are being funded by the Highways Agency (Area 2).

Iraq: Legal Advice

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Filkin on 15 March (WA 21), what "actual damage" would be caused if the advice given by the Attorney-General and other legal advisers about the legality of the invasion of Iraq were now to be published.

Lord Filkin: The question of whether actual damage would be caused by release of the advice of the Attorney-General and other government legal advisers about the legality of the military action against Iraq will be considered by the time the documents are due for transfer to the National Archives. This will take place before they are 30 years old, and any judgment will be made in the light of the circumstances at that time.

Citizen Information: Central Government Databases

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many databases, broken down by departments, comprising data and information about individual citizens are currently maintained and administered by central government.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from the National Statistician, Len Cook, to the Earl of Northesk, dated 1 April 2004. simone
	The National Statistician and Registrar General for England & Wales has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on the number of databases about individual citizens currently maintained by central government (HL2110). I am replying on his behalf.
	The General Register Office (GRO), part of Office for National Statistics (ONS) is presently leading the project development stage of the Citizen Information Project (CIP). The intention is to explore the possibility of developing a high-quality central population register which would hold core contact details for members of the public and which could be accessed by other government departments who currently maintain their own separate databases. Access would be subject to rigorous conditions of confidentiality and data protection.
	Our research so far has indicated that the following central government departments and agencies currently maintain large-scale databases containing details about individual citizens:
	Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority
	UK Passport Service
	Department of Health/National Health Service (NHS)
	Department of Work and Pensions
	Inland Revenue
	Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
	General Register Office
	Office for National Statistics
	Research so far has not been exhaustive and has focused on the government bodies that maintain large-scale citizen databases. There are likely to be many other government organisations that maintain databases of citizen information, although many of these databases will be smaller and will relate to more specialised government services. Some organisations may hold more than one database. It is anticipated that more information about the scale and scope of other government databases will emerge during the development stage of the CIP. However, a comprehensive list of all databases of citizen information in government is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Private Pensions

Lord Wakeham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proposals they have to change the regulatory regime for small self-administered pension schemes; and when they propose to implement them.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: On 10 December 2003 the Government published a document setting out the details of their proposals to radically simplify the tax rules for all private pension schemes. Copies of this document, Simplifying the taxation of pensions: the Government's proposals, have been placed in the House of Commons Library. In his Budget speech on 17 March, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that these rules would be introduced from 6 April 2006.

Conservation Areas: North-west England

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many conservation areas have been created in north-west England in the years 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 to date.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: In accordance with Section 70(5)(a) of chapter 9 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has been notified of the designation of two new conservation areas in the north-west region of England, which have been created between 2001 and 2004 to date. Both conservation areas were designated in 2001. In line with the Government's belief that local planning issues are best handled at local level, conservation areas are designated by local planning authorities in the light of their local knowledge.

Olympic Games 2012: London Bid

Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Heritage Lottery Fund has been informally asked to reduce the size of lottery awards to ensure that there will be sufficient funds for Britain's Olympic bid.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: We have made no such request of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Lottery funding will not be used for bidding costs, but for the staging of the Olympic Games. The costs of bidding to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in 2012 will be met by DCMS from exchequer funds, by the London Development Agency, and through financial support or value in kind from commercial or other organisations. In the event of a successful bid, the lottery contribution to the costs of staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 will be up to £1.5 billion. This will consist of £750 million from new Olympic lottery games, £340 million from sport lottery distributors, and up to £410 million, if required, from changing percentage shares after 2009. New Olympic lottery games would not begin until after a decision has been taken in July 2005 on who will host the Olympics, and then only in the event of London being awarded the games.

Sport England

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people were employed, and at what cost, by Sport England nationally and in the regions in 2000–01; 2002–03; and 2003–04.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: 2001–02 Actuals   2002–03 Actuals   2003–04 Projection 
			  Number of staff Cost (£000) Number of staff Cost (£000) Number of staff Cost (£000) 
			 North East 20 504 22 664 20 633 
			 Yorkshire 20 557 21 602 12 634 
			 East Midlands 14 529 17 643 15 644 
			 East 20 541 19 579 18 658 
			 London 22 642 22 717 20 818 
			 South East 29 864 30 934 19 826 
			 South West 19 531 21 624 22 639 
			 West Midlands 21 545 23 593 21 626 
			 North West 25 721 23 792 15 692 
			 Headquarters 258 12,463 200 12,469 124 8,750 
			 TOTAL 435 17,895 385 18,617 273 14,920 
		
	
	The costs shown include posts funded through specific programmes by other agencies and temporary staff costs. The headcount numbers exclude posts funded through specific programmes and temporary staff as these can vary throughout the year. For 2001–02, the average number of externally funded staff was 42 and temporary staff was 93, bringing the total staff number to 570.
	Sport England changed its accounting system for the 2001–02 year. Therefore, information for prior years (i.e. 2000–01) is not readily available.

Sport England

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Sport England's pre-recorded service which thanks callers for telephoning Her Majesty's Government is consistent with Sport England's independent status.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Until 29 March, Sport England used the government switchboard, which carries a message thanking callers for telephoning Her Majesty's Government. From 29 March, Sport England has operated its own low-cost telephone number for all inquiries. lynne

Sport England

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the total redundancy costs arising from the reorganisation of Sport England; and how these costs were allocated between (a) the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; (b) Sport England grant-in-aid; and (c) the Sports Lottery Fund.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The estimated costs of redundancy and related costs were set out in Sport England's 2002–03 financial statements, copies of which were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The costs were shown as £11.5 million of which £6.6 million related to redundancy costs and £4.9 million related to ongoing pension liabilities (contributions for these staff). Within the statements, £6.9 million was shown as funded through the Lottery Fund and £4.6 million through grant-in-aid. An additional DCMS grant of £2.5 million was provided towards the full cost of modernisation, including the move of the support centre to Victoria House.

Private Finance Initiative

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Minister for Sport and Tourism on 10 March (HC Deb, col. 1500W), in which constituencies the 16 private finance initiative schemes are located.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Further to the Written Answer by the Minister for Sport and Tourism on 10 March (HC Deb, col. 1500W), the 16 private finance initiative schemes are located in the following constituencies:
	
		
			 Recipient Authority Constituency/Constituencies where PFI scheme is located 
			 Sheffield Borough Council Sheffield, Attercliffe 
			 Liverpool City Council Liverpool, Walton and Liverpool, Riverside 
			 Telford and Wrekin Borough  Council Wrekin County 
			 Croydon (London Borough) Croydon Central 
			 South Tyneside Council Jarrow 
			 Brent Council Brent East 
			 Wolverhampton City Council Wolverhampton North East 
			 Redbridge (London Borough) Ilford North and Ilford South 
			 Shepway District Council Folkestone & Hythe 
			 Rotherham Borough Council Wentworth and Rother Valley 
			 Oldham Borough Council Oldham West & Royton 
			 Cambridgeshire District  Council Cambridgeshire South East or Cambridge City (site to be confirmed) 
			 Newcastle City Council Newcastle upon Tyne Central, Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend and Newcastle upon Tyne North 
			 Liverpool City Council Liverpool, Riverside 
			 Rochdale Borough Council Middleton & Heywood and Rochdale 
			 Bournemouth Borough Bournemouth West 
			 Council

Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will give effect to the recommendation made by the European Commission against Racism in June 2000 that the United Kingdom should ratify the Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life.

Lord Rooker: The United Kingdom signed the Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life in February 1992. The then government did not seek ratification which, if all parts of the convention were subscribed to, would require changes to domestic law on the franchise for local elections.

Food Labelling: Sugar

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ensure that health warnings are given on the packaging of food stuffs containing sugar.

Lord Warner: Current European Union food labelling rules do not require pre-packaged foods containing sugar to carry health warnings and there are no proposals to introduce such a requirement. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that information on the content of sugars is given in the nutrition label even when such information is not required by law.
	The Government are pressing for EU rules to require compulsory nutrition labelling on all pre-packaged foods, in a format which gives clear information about levels of fat, sugar and salt.
	The FSA is also considering the case for voluntary front of pack sign-posting to help consumers identify healthier options; any such scheme would be likely to take account of fat, sugar and salt content.